Four Fertiliser Ships Cross Hormuz for Kharif 2026

Four fertiliser ships cross the Strait of Hormuz for kharif supplies

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Asked by UPSCPrelims 20261 PYQ

UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.

Prelims 2026Ships from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian Ocean ?Solve with answer

Battle Brief

Four ships carrying urea, DAP and sulphur crossed the Strait of Hormuz and were headed to Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, Paradeep and Mundra, the Fertilizers Ministry said on 22 June 2026. Cumulative fertiliser stock that day was 196.08 Lakh Tons, up from 168.67 Lakh Tons a year earlier. Over 90 LMT of urea and P&K had been tied up for kharif.

Fact File

Release: 22 Jun 2026, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Ships: four; urea, DAP and sulphur
Ports: Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, Paradeep, Mundra
Stock on 22 Jun 2026: 196.08 Lakh Tons (168.67 LMT a year earlier)
Sales 1 Mar to 21 Jun 2026: 153.4 LMT (140.2 LMT last year)
Global tie-up: more than 90 LMT urea and P&K for kharif; latest urea tender 17.70 LMT

In the news

Fertiliser ships via the Strait of Hormuz: what happened?

Hormuz is a chokepoint for Gulf energy and chemicals. When fertiliser ships still get through, kharif sowing is less exposed to a shipping scare.

Stock break-up on 22 Jun 2026: urea 81.44, DAP 20.92, NPKs 55.91, MOP 12.68, SSP 25.13 Lakh Tons.
Post-crisis domestic production 133.12 LMT; imports arrived 43.69 LMT.
Urea streams cited from Oman, Malaysia, Vietnam, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Finland, Egypt, Algeria, Turkey and the Netherlands; DAP/NPK via Red Sea from Russia, Morocco, Egypt, USA, Jordan, South Korea, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Coordination with 28 Indian Missions abroad.

Back Story

Why Hormuz matters for farms?

India imports fertiliser and feedstock through Gulf and Red Sea routes.
Crossing Hormuz during trade disruption is treated as a supply-security event, not only an oil story.

Why examiners care

Why does fertiliser ships via the Strait of Hormuz matter?

Food security: Buffers and imports for kharif.
Geography: Strait of Hormuz as a fertiliser chokepoint.

Exam Radar

What can Prelims ask on fertiliser ships via the Strait of Hormuz?

Four fertiliser ships via Hormuz to four Indian ports, Jun 2026.
Stock 196.08 LMT on 22 Jun 2026.
Core cargoes: urea, DAP, sulphur.

How to use this in Mains

GS-III Agriculture: cropping, MSP, PDS, food processing, land reforms

As per PIB (2026-06-22): four ships with urea, DAP and sulphur crossed the Strait of Hormuz to Indian ports despite trade disruption, securing kharif 2026 supplies.
Shipping chokepoints are a food-security risk, not just an oil one.

Quotable data point
Four ships with urea, DAP and sulphur crossed the Strait of Hormuz to Indian ports despite trade disruption, securing kharif 2026 supplies.
PIB: Fertilizers: Hormuz shipments, 22 Jun 2026

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

Fertiliser ships that crossed the Strait of Hormuz in June 2026 were headed to Indian ports including

Answer (b) & explanation

PIB (Fertilizers), 22 Jun 2026.

Quick questions

Questions students ask about this

What did the four ships carry?

Urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and sulphur.

Which Indian ports were they headed to?

Krishnapatnam, Kakinada, Paradeep and Mundra.

What was the fertiliser stock on 22 June 2026?

196.08 Lakh Tons, up from 168.67 Lakh Tons a year earlier.